Musk lent Wilder’s nephew millions of dollars to buy the home, which is now facing foreclosure

Once owned by Gene Wilder and later, by Elon Musk, a home overlooking the Bel-Air Country Club in Los Angeles has hit the market for $12.95 million.

Built in 1951 by prolific architect Robert Byrd, the white-shingle house is a “piece of Hollywood history,” according to the listing with Drew Meyers of Westside Estate Agency, who brought the property to the market on Tuesday.

Wilder, who famously starred as Willy Wonka in 1971’s “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory,” bought the Bel-Air home for around $300,000 in 1976. He sold it in 2007 for a little over $2.7 million, records with PropertyShark show.

The house spans more than 2,700 square feet.

Marc Angeles Photography

A few years later, in 2013, Musk acquired the property for $6.75 million and owned it as part of an enormous property portfolio he amassed in the city.

In a change of heart, however, the Tesla boss announced in 2020 on X, then Twitter, that he would sell all his physical possessions and own no house—selling off this one and several others in the city. The declaration was followed by a stipulation that the Bel-Air house should not be torn down or lose any of its soul.

Musk went on to sell the house later that same year to Wilder’s nephew, filmmaker Jordan Walker-Pearlman and his wife, Elizabeth Hunter, for $7 million, according to records.

The billionaire, via an LLC, lent the couple $6.7 million for the sale, property records show. But the listing comes as Walker-Pearlman has fallen behind on payments to Musk. A notice of default on the loan was sent in July, according to property records, the first step in the foreclosure process.

Meyers declined to comment on the default and Walker-Pearlman declined to comment via the agent. A representative for Musk couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.

Walker-Pearlman and Hunter are cooperating with Musk and are “at peace” with the tech titan’s move to foreclose, Walker-Pearlman told The Wall Street Journal, who first reported Tuesday’s listing.

There is plenty of outdoor entertaining space.

Marc Angeles Photography

Much like Musk before him, “the seller would love [the house] to stay true to its roots,” said Meyers. “It’s the last of the Mohicans. [Properties] just don’t come up, it has that vibe that’s just unbelievable.”

Spanning upward of 2,700 square feet, the “timeless” house “sits directly on the golf course, on almost an acre which is pretty ridiculous,” Meyers added.

It has original wood-beamed ceilings, cozy fireplaces and an open layout, according to the listing. The heart of the property is its circular bar area, and there’s also a gourmet kitchen, four bedrooms and far-reaching views.

Outside, there are multiple seating areas, manicured gardens and a kidney-shaped pool.